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Beard K, Gauff AK, Pennington AM, Marion DW, Smith J, Sloley S. Biofluid, Imaging, Physiological, and Functional Biomarkers of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Subconcussive Head Impacts. J Neurotrauma 2024. [PMID: 38943278 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2024.0136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-concussive symptoms are frequently reported by individuals who sustain mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) and subconcussive head impacts, even when evidence of intracranial pathology is lacking. Current strategies used to evaluate head injuries, which primarily rely on self-report, have a limited ability to predict the incidence, severity, and duration of post-concussive symptoms that will develop in an individual patient. In addition, these self-report measures have little association with the underlying mechanisms of pathology that may contribute to persisting symptoms, impeding advancement in precision treatment for TBI. Emerging evidence suggests that biofluid, imaging, physiological, and functional biomarkers associated with mTBI and subconcussive head impacts may address these shortcomings by providing more objective measures of injury severity and underlying pathology. Interest in the use of biomarker data has rapidly accelerated, which is reflected by the recent efforts of organizations such as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to prioritize the collection of biomarker data during TBI characterization in acute-care settings. Thus, this review aims to describe recent progress in the identification and development of biomarkers of mTBI and subconcussive head impacts and to discuss important considerations for the implementation of these biomarkers in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kryshawna Beard
- General Dynamics Information Technology Fairfax, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Amina K Gauff
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Xynergie Federal, LLC, San Juan, United States Minor Outlying Islands
| | - Ashley M Pennington
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Xynergie Federal, LLC, San Juan, United States Minor Outlying Islands
| | - Donald W Marion
- General Dynamics Information Technology Fairfax, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Johanna Smith
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephanie Sloley
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Lember LM, Ntikas M, Mondello S, Wilson L, Di Virgilio TG, Hunter AM, Kobeissy F, Mechref Y, Donaldson DI, Ietswaart M. The Use of Biofluid Markers to Evaluate the Consequences of Sport-Related Subconcussive Head Impact Exposure: A Scoping Review. SPORTS MEDICINE - OPEN 2024; 10:12. [PMID: 38270708 PMCID: PMC10811313 DOI: 10.1186/s40798-023-00665-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amidst growing concern about the safety of sport-related repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI), biofluid markers may provide sensitive, informative, and practical assessment of the effects of RSHI exposure. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aimed to systematically examine the extent, nature, and quality of available evidence from studies investigating the effects of RSHI on biofluid markers, to identify gaps and to formulate guidelines to inform future research. METHODS PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines were adhered to. The protocol was pre-registered through publication. MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, OpenGrey, and two clinical trial registries were searched (until March 30, 2022) using descriptors for subconcussive head impacts, biomarkers, and contact sports. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias and quality. RESULTS Seventy-nine research publications were included in the review. Forty-nine studies assessed the acute effects, 23 semi-acute and 26 long-term effects of RSHI exposure. The most studied sports were American football, boxing, and soccer, and the most investigated markers were (in descending order): S100 calcium-binding protein beta (S100B), tau, neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated tau (p-tau), ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), and hormones. High or moderate bias was found in most studies, and marker-specific conclusions were subject to heterogeneous and limited evidence. Although the evidence is weak, some biofluid markers-such as NfL-appeared to show promise. More markedly, S100B was found to be problematic when evaluating the effects of RSHI in sport. CONCLUSION Considering the limitations of the evidence base revealed by this first review dedicated to systematically scoping the evidence of biofluid marker levels following RSHI exposure, the field is evidently still in its infancy. As a result, any recommendation and application is premature. Although some markers show promise for the assessment of brain health following RSHI exposure, future large standardized and better-controlled studies are needed to determine biofluid markers' utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liivia-Mari Lember
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Michail Ntikas
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
- The School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Stefania Mondello
- Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Lindsay Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Thomas G Di Virgilio
- Physiology Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Angus M Hunter
- Physiology Exercise and Nutrition Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
- Department of Sports Science, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Center for Neurotrauma, Department of Neurobiology and Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Multiomics & Biomarkers, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA
| | - Yehia Mechref
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - David I Donaldson
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Magdalena Ietswaart
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
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Brett BL, Cohen AD, McCrea MA, Wang Y. Longitudinal alterations in cerebral perfusion following a season of adolescent contact sport participation compared to non-contact athletes. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 40:103538. [PMID: 37956583 PMCID: PMC10666028 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral blood flow (CBF) change, a non-invasive marker of head injury, has yet to be thoroughly investigated as a potential consequence of repetitive head impacts (RHI) via contact sport participation in youth athletes. We examined pre-to post-season differences in relative CBF (rCBF), arterial transit time (ATT), and neurocognition between adolescent contact sport (CS; 79.4% of which were football players) and non-contact sport (NCS) athletes. METHODS Adolescent athletes (N = 57; age = 14.70 ± 1.97) completed pre- and post-season clinical assessments and neuroimaging. Brain perfusion was evaluated using an advanced 3D pseudo-continuous ASL sequence with Hadamard encoded multiple post-labeling delays. Mixed-effect models tested group-by-time interactions for rCBF, ATT, and neurocognition. RESULTS A significant group-by-time interaction was observed for rCBF in a cluster consisting primarily of frontal and parietal lobe regions, with regional rCBF increasing in CS and decreasing among NCS athletes. No significant interaction was observed for ATT. A significant group-by-time interaction was observed for verbal memory and visual motor speed, with NCS athletes improving and CS athletes exhibiting lower performance from pre-to post-season in comparison. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in rCBF and variability in cognition, not purported neurovasculature changes (measured by ATT), were observed following one season of CS participation. Further study surrounding the clinical meaningfulness of these findings, as they related to adverse long-term outcomes, is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Brett
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Neurosurgery, United States.
| | - Alex D Cohen
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Radiology, United States
| | - Michael A McCrea
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Neurosurgery, United States
| | - Yang Wang
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Radiology, United States.
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Karimpoor M, Georgiadis M, Zhao MY, Goubran M, Moein Taghavi H, Mills BD, Tran D, Mouchawar N, Sami S, Wintermark M, Grant G, Camarillo DB, Moseley ME, Zaharchuk G, Zeineh MM. Longitudinal Alterations of Cerebral Blood Flow in High-Contact Sports. Ann Neurol 2023; 94:457-469. [PMID: 37306544 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Repetitive head trauma is common in high-contact sports. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) can measure changes in brain perfusion that could indicate injury. Longitudinal studies with a control group are necessary to account for interindividual and developmental effects. We investigated whether exposure to head impacts causes longitudinal CBF changes. METHODS We prospectively studied 63 American football (high-contact cohort) and 34 volleyball (low-contact controls) male collegiate athletes, tracking CBF using 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging for up to 4 years. Regional relative CBF (rCBF, normalized to cerebellar CBF) was computed after co-registering to T1-weighted images. A linear mixed effects model assessed the relationship of rCBF to sport, time, and their interaction. Within football players, we modeled rCBF against position-based head impact risk and baseline Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool score. Additionally, we evaluated early (1-5 days) and delayed (3-6 months) post-concussion rCBF changes (in-study concussion). RESULTS Supratentorial gray matter rCBF declined in football compared with volleyball (sport-time interaction p = 0.012), with a strong effect in the parietal lobe (p = 0.002). Football players with higher position-based impact-risk had lower occipital rCBF over time (interaction p = 0.005), whereas players with lower baseline Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool score (worse performance) had relatively decreased rCBF in the cingulate-insula over time (interaction effect p = 0.007). Both cohorts showed a left-right rCBF asymmetry that decreased over time. Football players with an in-study concussion showed an early increase in occipital lobe rCBF (p = 0.0166). INTERPRETATION These results suggest head impacts may result in an early increase in rCBF, but cumulatively a long-term decrease in rCBF. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:457-469.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Moss Y Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Maged Goubran
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Brian D Mills
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Dean Tran
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | | | - Sohrab Sami
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Max Wintermark
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Gerald Grant
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | | | | | - Greg Zaharchuk
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
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Goubran M, Mills BD, Georgiadis M, Karimpoor M, Mouchawar N, Sami S, Dennis EL, Akers C, Mitchell L, Boldt B, Douglas D, DiGiacomo PS, Rosenberg J, Grant G, Wintermark M, Camarillo DB, Zeineh M. Microstructural Alterations in Tract Development in College Football and Volleyball Players: A Longitudinal Diffusion MRI Study. Neurology 2023; 101:e953-e965. [PMID: 37479529 PMCID: PMC10501097 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Repeated impacts in high-contact sports such as American football can affect the brain's microstructure, which can be studied using diffusion MRI. Most imaging studies are cross-sectional, do not include low-contact players as controls, or lack advanced tract-specific microstructural metrics. We aimed to investigate longitudinal changes in high-contact collegiate athletes compared with low-contact controls using advanced diffusion MRI and automated fiber quantification. METHODS We examined brain microstructure in high-contact (football) and low-contact (volleyball) collegiate athletes with up to 4 years of follow-up. Inclusion criteria included university and team enrollment. Exclusion criteria included history of neurosurgery, severe brain injury, and major neurologic or substance abuse disorder. We investigated diffusion metrics along the length of tracts using nested linear mixed-effects models to ascertain the acute and chronic effects of subconcussive and concussive impacts, and associations between diffusion changes with clinical, behavioral, and sports-related measures. RESULTS Forty-nine football and 24 volleyball players (271 total scans) were included. Football players had significantly divergent trajectories in multiple microstructural metrics and tracts. Longitudinal increases in fractional anisotropy and axonal water fraction, and decreases in radial/mean diffusivity and orientation dispersion index, were present in volleyball but absent in football players (all findings |T-statistic|> 3.5, p value <0.0001). This pattern was present in the callosum forceps minor, superior longitudinal fasciculus, thalamic radiation, and cingulum hippocampus. Longitudinal differences were more prominent and observed in more tracts in concussed football players (n = 24, |T|> 3.6, p < 0.0001). An analysis of immediate postconcussion scans (n = 12) demonstrated a transient localized increase in axial diffusivity and mean/radial kurtosis in the uncinate and cingulum hippocampus (|T| > 3.7, p < 0.0001). Finally, within football players, those with high position-based impact risk demonstrated increased intracellular volume fraction longitudinally (T = 3.6, p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION The observed longitudinal changes seen in football, and especially concussed athletes, could reveal diminished myelination, altered axonal calibers, or depressed pruning processes leading to a static, nondecreasing axonal dispersion. This prospective longitudinal study demonstrates divergent tract-specific trajectories of brain microstructure, possibly reflecting a concussive and repeated subconcussive impact-related alteration of white matter development in football athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maged Goubran
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Brian David Mills
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Marios Georgiadis
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Mahta Karimpoor
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Nicole Mouchawar
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Sohrab Sami
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Emily Larson Dennis
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Carolyn Akers
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Lex Mitchell
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Brian Boldt
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - David Douglas
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Phillip Scott DiGiacomo
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Jarrett Rosenberg
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Gerald Grant
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Max Wintermark
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - David Benjamin Camarillo
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
| | - Michael Zeineh
- From the Departments of Radiology (Maged Goubran, B.D.M., Marios Georgiadis, M.K., N.M., C.A., L.M., D.D., P.S.D., J.R., M.W., M.Z.), Neurosurgery (G.G.), and Bioengineering (D.B.C.), Stanford University, CA; Department of Medical Biophysics (Maged Goubran) and Physical Sciences Platform & Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program (Maged Goubran), Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Stanford Center for Clinical Research (S.S.), CA; Department of Neurology (E.L.D.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Radiology (B.B.), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Radiology (B.B.), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA.
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6
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Pavlovic N, Clermont C, Cairns J, Williamson RA, Emery CA, Stefanyshyn D. Differences in head impact biomechanics between playing positions in Canadian high school football players. J Sports Sci 2023; 40:2697-2703. [PMID: 36862832 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2023.2184824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare head impact magnitudes and time between impacts among positions in Canadian high-school football. Thirty nine players from two high-school football teams were recruited and assigned a position profile: Profile 1 (quarterback, receiver, defensive back, kicker), Profile 2 (linebacker, running back), and Profile 3 (linemen). Players wore instrumented mouthguards to measure peak magnitudes of linear and angular acceleration and velocity for each head impact throughout the season. A principal component analysis reduced the dimensionality of biomechanical variables, resulting in one principal component (PC1) score assigned to every impact. Time between impacts was calculated by subtracting the timestamps of subsequent head impacts within a session. Significant differences in PC1 scores and time between impacts occurred between playing position profiles (ps<0.001). Post-hoc comparisons determined that PC1 was greatest in Profile 2, followed by Profiles 1 and 3. Time between impacts was lowest in Profile 3, followed by Profiles 2 and 1. This study delivers a new method of reducing the multidimensionality of head impact magnitudes and suggests different Canadian high-school football playing positions experience different head impact magnitudes and frequencies, which is important for monitoring concussion and repetitive head impact exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Pavlovic
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Christian Clermont
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Joshua Cairns
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rylen A Williamson
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Carolyn A Emery
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Darren Stefanyshyn
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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7
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Raikes AC, Hernandez GD, Mullins VA, Wang Y, Lopez C, Killgore WDS, Chilton FH, Brinton RD. Effects of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaoic acid supplementation on white matter integrity after repetitive sub-concussive head impacts during American football: Exploratory neuroimaging findings from a pilot RCT. Front Neurol 2022; 13:891531. [PMID: 36188406 PMCID: PMC9521411 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.891531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Context Repetitive sub-concussive head impacts (RSHIs) are common in American football and result in changes to the microstructural integrity of white matter. Both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaoic acid (EPA) supplementation exerted neuroprotective effects against RSHIs in animal models and in a prior study in football players supplemented with DHA alone. Objective Here, we present exploratory neuroimaging outcomes from a randomized controlled trial of DHA + EPA supplementation in American football players. We hypothesized that supplementation would result in less white matter integrity loss on diffusion weighted imaging over the season. Design setting participants We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 38 American football players between June 2019 and January 2020. Intervention Participants were randomized to the treatment (2.442 g/day DHA and 1.020 g/day EPA) or placebo group for five times-per-week supplementation for 7 months. Of these, 27 participants were included in the neuroimaging data analysis (n = 16 placebo; n = 11 DHA + EPA). Exploratory outcome measures Changes in white matter integrity were quantified using both voxelwise diffusion kurtosis scalars and deterministic tractography at baseline and end of season. Additional neuroimaging outcomes included changes in regional gray matter volume as well as intra-regional, edge-wise, and network level functional connectivity. Serum neurofilament light (NfL) provided a peripheral biomarker of axonal damage. Results No voxel-wise between-group differences were identified on diffusion tensor metrics. Deterministic tractography using quantitative anisotropy (QA) revealed increased structural connectivity in ascending corticostriatal fibers and decreased connectivity in long association and commissural fibers in the DHA+EPA group compared to the placebo group. Serum NfL increases were correlated with increased mean (ρ = 0.47), axial (ρ = 0.44), and radial (ρ = 0.51) diffusivity and decreased QA (ρ = -0.52) in the corpus callosum and bilateral corona radiata irrespective of treatment group. DHA + EPA supplementation did preserve default mode/frontoparietal control network connectivity (g = 0.96, p = 0.024). Conclusions These exploratory findings did not provide strong evidence that DHA + EPA prevented or protected against axonal damage as quantified via neuroimaging. Neuroprotective effects on functional connectivity were observed despite white matter damage. Further studies with larger samples are needed to fully establish the relationship between omega-3 supplementation, RSHIs, and neuroimaging biomarkers. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov-NCT04796207.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Raikes
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gerson D. Hernandez
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Veronica A. Mullins
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Yiwei Wang
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Claudia Lopez
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - William D. S. Killgore
- Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Floyd H. Chilton
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Roberta D. Brinton
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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8
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Chiarelli AM, Germuska M, Chandler H, Stickland R, Patitucci E, Biondetti E, Mascali D, Saxena N, Khot S, Steventon J, Foster C, Rodríguez-Soto AE, Englund E, Murphy K, Tomassini V, Wehrli FW, Wise RG. A flow-diffusion model of oxygen transport for quantitative mapping of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2) with single gas calibrated fMRI. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:1192-1209. [PMID: 35107026 PMCID: PMC9207485 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x221077332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
One promising approach for mapping CMRO2 is dual-calibrated functional MRI (dc-fMRI). This method exploits the Fick Principle to combine estimates of CBF from ASL, and OEF derived from BOLD-ASL measurements during arterial O2 and CO2 modulations. Multiple gas modulations are required to decouple OEF and deoxyhemoglobin-sensitive blood volume. We propose an alternative single gas calibrated fMRI framework, integrating a model of oxygen transport, that links blood volume and CBF to OEF and creates a mapping between the maximum BOLD signal, CBF and OEF (and CMRO2). Simulations demonstrated the method's viability within physiological ranges of mitochondrial oxygen pressure, PmO2, and mean capillary transit time. A dc-fMRI experiment, performed on 20 healthy subjects using O2 and CO2 challenges, was used to validate the approach. The validation conveyed expected estimates of model parameters (e.g., low PmO2), with spatially uniform OEF maps (grey matter, GM, OEF spatial standard deviation ≈ 0.13). GM OEF estimates obtained with hypercapnia calibrated fMRI correlated with dc-fMRI (r = 0.65, p = 2·10-3). For 12 subjects, OEF measured with dc-fMRI and the single gas calibration method were correlated with whole-brain OEF derived from phase measures in the superior sagittal sinus (r = 0.58, p = 0.048; r = 0.64, p = 0.025 respectively). Simplified calibrated fMRI using hypercapnia holds promise for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio M Chiarelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Michael Germuska
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Hannah Chandler
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Rachael Stickland
- Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eleonora Patitucci
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Emma Biondetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Daniele Mascali
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Neeraj Saxena
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sharmila Khot
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jessica Steventon
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Catherine Foster
- Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD), School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Ana E Rodríguez-Soto
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Erin Englund
- Department of Radiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Kevin Murphy
- Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Valentina Tomassini
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.,MS Centre, Dept of Clinical Neurology, SS. Annunziata University Hospital, Chieti, Italy.,Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.,Helen Durham Centre for Neuroinflammation, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Felix W Wehrli
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Richard G Wise
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Department of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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9
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Jansen AE, McGrath M, Samorezov S, Johnston J, Bartsch A, Alberts J. Characterizing Head Impact Exposure in Men and Women During Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts. Orthop J Sports Med 2021; 9:23259671211059815. [PMID: 34901294 PMCID: PMC8664317 DOI: 10.1177/23259671211059815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The accumulation of subconcussive impacts has been implicated in permanent neurological impairment. A gap in understanding the relationship between head impacts and neurological function is the lack of precise characterization and quantification of forces that individuals experience during sports training and competition. Purpose: To characterize impact exposure during training and competition among male and female athletes participating in boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) via an instrumented custom-fit Impact Monitoring Mouthguard (IMM). Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Twenty-three athletes (n = 4 women) were provided a custom-fit IMM. The IMM monitored impacts during sparring and competition. All training and competition sessions were videotaped. Video and IMM data were synchronized for post hoc data verification of true positives and substantiation of impact location. IMM data were collected from boxing and MMA athletes at a collaborating site. For each true-positive impact, peak linear acceleration and peak angular acceleration were calculated. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to evaluate potential differences in sport, activity type, and sex with respect to each outcome. Differences in impact location were assessed via Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: IMM data were collected from 53 amateur training sessions and 6 competitions (session range, 5-20 minutes). A total of 896 head impacts (men, n = 786; women, n = 110) were identified using IMM data and video verification: 827 in practice and 69 during competition. MMA and boxers experienced a comparable number of impacts per practice session or competition. In general, MMA impacts produced significantly higher peak angular acceleration than did boxing impacts (P < .001) and were more varied in impact location on the head during competitions. In terms of sex, men experienced a greater number of impacts than women per practice session. However, there was no significant difference between men and women in terms of impact magnitude. Conclusion: Characteristic profiles of head impact exposure differed between boxing and MMA athletes; however, the impact magnitudes were not significantly different for male and female athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Elizabeth Jansen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Morgan McGrath
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sergey Samorezov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Joshua Johnston
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Jay Alberts
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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10
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Vale A, Post A, Cournoyer J, Hoshizaki TB, Gilchrist MD. Influence of play type on the magnitude and number of head impacts sustained in youth American football. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 2021; 25:1195-1210. [PMID: 34788175 DOI: 10.1080/10255842.2021.2003345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The magnitude and number of head impacts experienced by young American football players are associated with negative brain health outcomes and may be affected by play-type strategies. The purpose of this research was to examine how play type affects the magnitude and number of head impacts in youth American tackle football. Head impacts were recorded for 30 games in the 5-9 age category and 30 games in the 9-14 age category. Impacts using physical and finite element models were conducted to determine the brain strain. Run plays had a higher head impact frequency in both age groups (p < 0.05). This increase in head impacts was consistent for all positions (p < 0.05), except wide receiver, and offensive line and defensive back in the 9-14 age group (p > 0.05). Both age groups experienced significantly different magnitude proportions with higher numbers of very low and low strain magnitude impacts during run plays (p < 0.05), and a higher proportion of moderate magnitude impacts in the 5-9 age category (p < 0.05). This data can be used to inform and educate teams and coaches and influence decisions around the use of runs and passing plays that may lead to a decrease in head impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Vale
- Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Post
- Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Janie Cournoyer
- Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Michael D Gilchrist
- School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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11
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Head Impact Research Using Inertial Sensors in Sport: A Systematic Review of Methods, Demographics, and Factors Contributing to Exposure. Sports Med 2021; 52:481-504. [PMID: 34677820 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-021-01574-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number and magnitude of head impacts have been assessed in-vivo using inertial sensors to characterise the exposure in various sports and to help understand their potential relationship to concussion. OBJECTIVES We aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the field of in-vivo sensor acceleration event research in sports via the summary of data collection and processing methods, population demographics and factors contributing to an athlete's exposure to sensor acceleration events. METHODS The systematic search resulted in 185 cohort or cross-sectional studies that recorded sensor acceleration events in-vivo during sport participation. RESULTS Approximately 5800 participants were studied in 20 sports using 18 devices that included instrumented helmets, headbands, skin patches, mouthguards and earplugs. Female and youth participants were under-represented and ambiguous results were reported for these populations. The number and magnitude of sensor acceleration events were affected by a variety of contributing factors, suggesting sport-specific analyses are needed. For collision sports, being male, being older, and playing in a game (as opposed to a practice), all contributed to being exposed to more sensor acceleration events. DISCUSSION Several issues were identified across the various sensor technologies, and efforts should focus on harmonising research methods and improving the accuracy of kinematic measurements and impact classification. While the research is more mature for high-school and collegiate male American football players, it is still in its early stages in many other sports and for female and youth populations. The information reported in the summarised work has improved our understanding of the exposure to sport-related head impacts and has enabled the development of prevention strategies, such as rule changes. CONCLUSIONS Head impact research can help improve our understanding of the acute and chronic effects of head impacts on neurological impairments and brain injury. The field is still growing in many sports, but technological improvements and standardisation of processes are needed.
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12
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Champagne AA, Coverdale NS, Ross A, Murray C, Vallee I, Cook DJ. Characterizing changes in network connectivity following chronic head trauma in special forces military personnel: a combined resting-fMRI and DTI study. Brain Inj 2021; 35:760-768. [PMID: 33792439 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2021.1906951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soldiers are exposed to significant repetitive head trauma, which may disrupt functional and structural brain connectivity patterns. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS Integrate resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to characterize changes in connectivity biomarkers within Canadian Special Operations Forces (CANSOF), hypothesizing that alterations in architectural organization of cortical hubs may follow chronic repetitive head trauma. METHODS Fifteen CANSOFs with a history of chronic exposure to sub-concussive head trauma and concussive injuries (1.9 ± 2.0 concussions (range: [0-6])), as well as an equal age-matched cohort of controls (CTLs) were recruited. BOLD-based rs-fMRI was combined with DTI to reconstruct functional and structural networks using independent component analyses and probabilistic tractography. Connectivity markers were computed based on the distance between functional seeds to assess for possible differences in injury susceptibility of short- and long-range connections. RESULTS/DISCUSSION Significant hyper- and hypo-connectivity differences in cortical connections were observed suggesting that chronic head trauma may predispose soldiers to changes in the functional organization of brain networks. Significant structural alterations in axonal fibers directly connecting disrupted functional nodes were specific to hyper-connected long-range connections, suggesting a potential relationship between axonal injury and increases in neural recruitment following repetitive head trauma from high-exposure military duties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen A Champagne
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Nicole S Coverdale
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Isabelle Vallee
- Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Douglas J Cook
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,Department of Surgery, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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